Happy Canyon has welcomed three new members to its Board of Directors – Casey Evens, Becky Waggoner and Casey Hunt.
“They all have deep roots in our show and our community,” said Happy Canyon President Corey Neistadt.
Involvement and volunteerism with Happy Canyon and the Pendleton Round-Up has been in Evans’ and his wife, Kylee’s, families for four generations. Evans himself has been involved in the show since 2007, taking over the part in the Trunk Act and Duck Act. He was born in Heppner and moved to Pendleton after high school to attend Blue Mountain Community College. Evans, who works for the Oregon Department of Transportation, and his wife have two daughters, Finley, 8, and Adilynn, 4, and reside outside of Pendleton with a dog and a few horses. He’ll serve as Bar Director for Happy Canyon.
“Having the privilege to serve on the Happy Canyon Board with the selected individuals is an honor,” Evans said. “They are all driving in the same direction to keep the Happy Canyon Nigh Show and Pageant an amazing family event that everyone wants to attend. Thank you to all the volunteers who make this event a success.”
Hunt will serve as Court Director for Happy Canyon, overseeing the Happy Canyon Princesses. He has been involved with Happy Canyon since the age of 4, when his father was appointed to the Board in 1983, and played a Swim Kid before transitioning to the Fire Act and a fill-in for the Shorty Act on Friday nights. Hunt is a financial advisor for Edward Jones in Pendleton. He and his wife, Whitney, have two children, William, 4, and Charlotte, 2.
Waggoner will serve as Show Director on the Board. She is a fourth generation Happy Canyon Show participant and Round-Up volunteer, and a fifth generation Umatilla County resident, living in Pilot Rock.
She began volunteering in the Happy Canyon Show at age 3, coming out of the
trunk. She has played several roles in the show over the years, and for the last 17 years has been honored to play the role of the nurse in the Doctor Act. Out of her love for the show and its colorful history, Waggoner last August released the book she authored on the show, “Happy Canyon: A History of the World’s Most Unique Indian Pageant and Wild West Show.”
Besides cattle ranching and working part-time for Mautz and O’Hanlon, LLP, Waggoner serves on the 4-H Advisory Board and as Umatilla County Cattlewomen President. She and her husband, Allen – a former Happy Canyon Show Director and Past President – have three children, Kyle, Kaleigh, and Riley, all fifth-generation show participants.
The Happy Canyon Nigh Show and Pageant takes place each night after the Pendleton Round-Up, Sept. 13-16 at 7:45 p.m. For more information or tickets, visit www.happycanyon.com.
